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Hogs Knocked Out of SEC Tournament

Live: Arkansas vs. Florida at SEC Tournament

Anderson: We Have A Bright Future Ahead

BY
David Beall May 12, 2016

Head Coach Mike Anderson
“I am excited about Scotty going on the road. He is a very good judge of talent and he can build relationships. He can articulate and talk with people. I’ll say it again, who is better to sell your program than a guy who has lived it and lived it at the highest level. He knows what I am expecting.”

“In the last two years, we have had three guys declare for the draft. That tells me that our talent level is not hurting. Our talent is pretty good. That is with Michael Qualls, who didn’t get drafted; Bobby Portis, who had a tremendous year. He (Bobby) was just up here last weekend with Ky Madden hanging out and playing with our guys. To me, that is the culture that we have built in terms of where our guys feel so inclusive even after they leave.”

“We certainly are excited about Moses coming back, a guy whose improvement was very evident this past year; that gives us an upperclassman. A guy who is one of our leaders, an inside force and second-team all-conference. I think because of our culture, the development of our players, it played a big, big part in him coming back.”

“I thought our guys for the most part gave us everything. We end up 16-16, 9-9 in conference play. That is not the standards here and I know that and I get that. The beauty of it is, is out of that season, guys had a chance to really emerge. Moses Kingsley, he has a chance to find his way. Jabril Durham, all of a sudden he is thrust into the lineup and he goes from 54 assists to 204 assists. Anthlon bell, his best season since he’s been here. Trey Thompson, a guy that had not played, all of a sudden he is very relevant. He is very important, he is going against Ben Simmons of LSU, he’s going against the Texas A&M guys and being one of impact. To me, those guys improved. Dusty Hannahs, a guy who set out, goes for 16 points a game. This guy is coming back. Sometimes things happen in order to put things in motion for the next go ’round. Manuale Watkins, a fourth year guy. That is what excites me, having that core group who has went through the war and now it gives us an opportunity to be in games where now we have the experience of going through some things that didn’t happen, that can happen for us.”

“I am so proud of Moses. I think even more of Moses now because he let the process work. Here’s a guy who sat there for two years and watching other guys, Bobby was playing at a high level. He just waited his time and when his time came, it just happened for him. I am sure in his mind he was thinking maybe this isn’t the place for me, I need to do this or that but he let the process work. He worked hard in practice, he got better, he developed and I think he will carry that same mindset as he goes into his senior year.”

Assistant Coach Scotty Thurman“I am very excited about the opportunity. Obviously, I know it’s a huge task, it’s my first time doing it but I am very, very excited.”

“It’s been pretty good. I had an opportunity to connect with some people in the business that I had an opportunity to compete against as a player. Obviously, I had a chance to know them as well as an individual. I am really excited to continue to try and establish relationships both on the high school level, AAU level as well as the collegiate level.”

“I have had several opportunities, whether it be at the high school level or collegiate level but I am a little bit different than most guys and that my loyalty is here. I am a Razorback and I will forever and always be. There is a reason I have never left the state, never have intentions to. This is a university that grew me to not only being a young man but a productive citizen. It is something I want to help other student-athletes to have the opportunity to experience”

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